BOCA RATON, FL: The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) is launching a global campaign to double the number of TAPA-certified warehouse facilities to over 2,000 in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific in the next three years.

The campaign includes a new self-certification program for TAPA's entry level FSR Class 'C' and TSR Level '3' Security Standards. TAPA is providing free training for members' in-house auditors and once this is successfully completed they can undertake their own audits to demonstrate compliance with Class 'C' and Level '3'.

TAPA was formed in 1997 to tackle the multi-billion euro problem of cargo thefts from the supply chain. Today the organization has over 800 members including many of the world's biggest manufacturers and logistics companies.

Scott Dedic, chairman of TAPA Americas said: "Companies join TAPA because they see how our Standards, training, networking and intelligence tools can further enhance their existing in-house security programmes. This campaign aims to help more of our members to gain FSR and TSR certification and to give our manufacturer members a bigger choice of suppliers to protect their products in the supply chain."

Dedic said the entry level opportunity is important because It introduces companies to the TAPA Standards in a low cost, manageable way. "For many of our manufacturer members this level of supply chain security would be sufficient for a high percentage of their requirements. One of the main drivers for this campaign is that we believe the majority of TAPA members may already be at, or close to, this level of certification but have yet to complete the audit process. Through this initiative, we will help them to take this important step forward."

The certification campaign also aims to build greater awareness for TAPA's manufacturing members of the freight, logistics and transport companies that provide TAPA-certified facilities and trucking operations.

Thorsten Neumann, chairman of TAPA EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa), added: "The TAPA members that are certified at the top levels of our Security Standards already understand the benefits because of the level and quality of business they get by being TAPA certified. However, the threat of cargo crime is increasing and that is why we need a bigger choice of services from companies that have demonstrated their commitment to a secure supply chain by adopting our Standards.

TAPA EMEA's Incident Information Service (IIS) recorded 1,102 cargo crimes in 2014. Data for the first half of 2015 saw a rise of 24 percent year-on-year, with thefts recorded in 19 countries and average losses per crime of €149,635.